


Rolling Rivers

by Pangrim



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Canon Typical Violence, Crimson Flower Route, NB Byleth, Other, Post-Timeskip, Slow Burn, enemies to lovers but like. one-sided enemies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:01:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23697418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pangrim/pseuds/Pangrim
Summary: Jeritza wants to kill Byleth. Byleth thinks Jeritza’s hair is nice.
Relationships: Jeritza von Hrym/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 4
Kudos: 33





	Rolling Rivers

Byleth honestly did not expect to wake up. Being sent over the edge of the world was typically something that…killed people. They were fully expecting to be dead. Yet, they awoke in the river. 

As they neared the bank, they recalled their dream. Byleth had been told to wake up. There was more to do. 

They looked at the sky, then at the bank. With little effort, they swam to the edge. It seemed that their body had not lost any muscle for…however long they had been asleep. They were not even that hungry. 

Byleth stood still for a few moments, a gently breeze hitting them. They were absolutely drenched. Soaked strands of green hair slid in front of their eyes. They pushed it back, the hair luckily being obedient, due to the moisture. 

Byleth looked at the monastery in the distance. It seemed strange. They had no clue if they would be greeted by Rhea, or by an ally, or by nobody. However, there was only one way to find out. 

They began the trek from the river. Their clothes were heavy and beginning to itch. However, they kept on with their march. Byleth was not the type to be held back by simple obstacles. They walked through mud instead of around it. Despite how the mud pulled down on their boots, Byleth continued to walk. 

Something was waiting for them at the monastery. Byleth could tell. They wanted to find out what was left. The trek was long, but there was no ache in their calves. They probably looked a sorry sight, drenched and shivering, with mud up to their shins. They slipped on their way up the hill, scratching their hands. They tried to wipe some of the water from their face and keep going. 

As they reach the first gate of the monastery, soldiers settle their eyes on Byleth. However, they are not attacked. They ignore the possibility of death. They do not break their stride. 

“Hey, I n…I nee...” Caspar had been approaching the guards. He cut himself off out of shock. He watched silently as his ex-professor walked past him. 

The only person to try to stop Byleth was Hubert. He blended nearly completely into the shadows. 

“My, my. Whatever could you be doing here?” Hubert asked. He frowned as Byleth kept walking. 

“You’ll want to see Lady Edelgard.” Hubert said smoothly. 

Byleth stopped walking. Due to their pause, people caught up. Caspar hurried up close to them. They caught a glimpse of a solitary swordsman behind a pillar. A splash of light blue hair, which came from the stables. 

“Is that truly you, Professor?” Ferdinand approached them. Byleth settled their gaze on the young man. 

His hair was much longer than before. He looked more adult. Perhaps he had gotten taller, or bulked up more to fit his frame. Perhaps it was the subtle bags under his eyes which contributed to his age. 

Byleth looks over the heads of the mostly quiet crowd. Strangely, they caught the glimpse of a face they half knew. A taller man, with stoic features. Some of the features were ones that Byleth had never seen before. 

They still did not want to talk. Despite that, they also felt like they wanted to approach that man. It must be Professor Jeritza. If the scythe by the man’s side was any indicator, they were right in their suspicion that he was the Death Knight. 

Jeritza tilted his head back. Byleth decided not to approach him quite yet. 

“P-Professor!” Swift footsteps caught their attention. They turn their head to see Edelgard, dressed for battle. 

Byleth bowed their head slightly. 

“No, there’s no need for that. You were at the crowning ceremony. You don’t need to bow now.” She instructed.

Byleth looked up. They were aware that what was left from the river was dripping onto the floor beneath them. Muddy tracks littered the ground behind them. They looked awful. 

“My teacher…” Edelgard frowned softly. “Whatever happened to you?” 

Byleth was shown to the baths. It would make sense to assume that after five years, they would have forgotten where most things were located. However, despite being aware that they had slept for five years, Byleth felt as though it had been a few hours. 

Byleth soon finished getting the dirty water off of their body using clean water. Once they had finished their bath, they dried off. They very much liked their typical clothing, left over from their mercenary days. There were no bad tears, and it could be cleaned. However, there was a bit of a shortage of Byleth clothing at the monastery, considering that they had been missing for five years. 

Outfits laid out where either donated by students, or soldiers. They pulled on a black shirt from Felix, and a pair of brown pants from Caspar. They almost wanted to put on Ashe’s shirt, for the hood, but decided that it would seem strange for them. Instead, they opted for a shawl from Dorothea. Byleth and Dorothea had about a two inch difference in height, but the shawl was comfortable on their shoulders. 

Byleth had to try on a few pairs of soldier boots before that found one that fit. They then sat back and looked at various other items that had been left for them. 

They strapped a piece of armor to their knee. Once they found a belt, they put it on and tucked in their dagger. Byleth then looked into the long mirror that was available. They did look a little bit like themselves. However, they could not wait to get their normal clothing back. 

Byleth took small steps out of the bathhouse. It had been emptied to give them privacy. They looked both ways, then decided to head to the dining hall. 

Jeritza cut them off. His eyes were cold, and looked directly down at Byleth. 

“Why…did you come back here.” His voice is somehow both steady and uncertain. 

Byleth does not know what to say, or how to say it. They showed Jeritza their hands. 

“You do have a weapon. You have a dagger. Yet, you left your sword in your old room.” He deduced. 

Byleth nodded to him. Jeritza looked disappointed. 

“You do not want to fight.” Jeritza looked away. A piece of his bangs fell into his face. Byleth wanted to reach out and fix it. Yet, they knew better, and continued to show their empty palms. 

“The Emperor spoke to me.” He informed them. “I am not to kill you. Not yet.”

Byleth looked relieved. They let their arms rest back at their sides. 

“Still.”

The cold voice made Byleth stand at attention. 

“Still.” Jeritza continued. “I can only imagine what it will be like, one day. We will end this war. They we will face each other. A battle of the greatest blades. And, at the end…”

Jeritza took a sudden step forward. Byleth took a step back, forced against the wall. Jeritza put a hand where Byleth’s heart was still. 

“My blade may find you here.”

Jeritza looked at Byleth expectantly. Byleth raised their hand uncertainly, and were met by Jeritza’s small nod. Byleth put their hand on Jeritza’s chest. They could feel his pounding heart. 

“Your blade may find me there.” Jeritza spoke for Byleth. 

The two stared at each other for a few moments. Jeritza was silently willing Byleth to speak. Byleth attempted to keep the silence. 

Footsteps echoed down the corridor. The tall man broke away.

“That will be Hubert.” Jeritza seemed displeased. “I must take my leave. I shall see you again…”

As Hubert approached Byleth, Jeritza’s words echoed in their ears. “My pleasure.”

If Byleth’s heart could beat, they were sure it would be seen through their chest.


End file.
